This invention relates to box sealing equipment. More particularly, this invention relates to a box sealing method and equipment which automatically folds upper box flaps and seals the flaps with tape to produce a closed, sealed box. This application is related to the subject matter of prior U.S. Pat. No. 4,915,678 of common assignment with the subject application. The subject matter of this application is further related to co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/156,820 entitled "Box Forming Equipment" filed Nov. 24, 1993.
In the past after materials were packaged in a box body with an open upper portion, box sealing equipment closed the box by folding the front inner flap, the back inner flap, and left and right outer flaps. The top opening plane of the box was then sealed by binding the left and right outer flaps with self-adhering. Specifically, while the box was being conveyed, the front inner flap was folded by a front inner flap folding body located ahead of the box body, and the back flap was folded by a back inner flap folding body which swings from behind the box body to the box body. The left and right outer flaps were then folded by left and right outer flap folding bodies, located at the both the left and right sides of the box body. Finally, the facing edges of the left and right outer flaps were sealed with single-sided adhesive tape.
Although prior box sealing methods and equipment have been utilized with some success, previoulsly known equipment has been designed to fold the upper box flaps while the box body is moving. Therefore, previously known equipment must be quite large relative to the size of the box to be sealed. Additionally, prior box sealing equipment applied force to the left and right outer flaps perpendicular to the direction of box movement. Accordingly, the left and right outer flaps may be twisted, folded inaccurately, and/or improperly sealed, causing previously known box sealing machinery to lack reliability at speed. Further, prior box sealing machinery tended to present danger to packaging operators because of the large sweeping motion of the swinging-type back inner flap folding body.
The difficulties suggested in the preceding are not intended to be exhaustive, but rather are among many which may tend to reduce the effectiveness and satisfaction with prior box sealing machines. Other noteworthy problems may also exist; however, those presented above should be sufficient to demonstrate that equipment and methods appearing in the past will admit to worthwhile improvement.